People Power 2017
This month of the PSPD
 

It is April which is in the interim of March, the president Park was impeached for monopolizing national administration and May, and a new president will be elected. We should keep the fever and the flow of candle light civil revolution started last October to make a good nation and a society.

Declaration of Rights of Candle light announced

Impeaching a president does not simply make a nation and a society brand new. Civil forums were held throughout the nation both in small and large scale to discuss how to build a new society while candle rallies filled the streets in January and February protesting against Park Geunhye-Choi Sunsil gate and demanding the resignation of the president. Holding a general discussion of citizens is another activity that PSPD has put efforts on besides carrying out successful candle rallies as a major participating organization for ‘Emergency People Action for Park Administration to step down’. 

<2017 Korea, be prosperous> a general civil forum was held at Changchung gymnasium on 18 February and more than 1,500 citizens participated to talk about declaration of rights of candle light. As a working organization, PSPD has organized opinions of citizens and developed them into a declaration till early March in cooperation with other civil organizations and voluntary activists. <Declaration of Rights of Candle light> was announced on 11 March, the next day President Park was impeached after having a Scheme Committee composed of 50 members recommended by each group of the forum confirmed the draft, and main contents were as follow. △ Candle rally is an action of sovereign to reform representative democracy and advance direct democracy △ Candle rally is a direct action of sovereign that does not tolerate abuse of public power for a previliged group △ Candle rally is a legitimate protest against all kinds of discrimination and inequality which bear corruptions and privileged power △ Candle rally is a judgment for the power which oppress conscience and freedom to expression, and control the press, and for the press who cooperate. Full text of the declaration can be found in website of PSPD.   

Peace Action Day and Peace Bus, protests against THAAD

Process of adopting Anti-ballistic missile system THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) is forcibly pushed forward for the US army residing in Korea to use. The US seems to think that a new government elected by upcoming presidential election would take different policy from Park Geun-hye administration. By bringing THAAD equipment in Korea without a notice, they asked for criticism of attempting holdout. Hence, peace buses headed to Seongju in Kyungbuk province on 18 March from all around the nation. More than 5,000 citizens gathered in to commence <Taking Peace Steps for total withdrawal of THAAD deployment plan>. PSPD joined in as a leading organization for ‘National Action for No THAAD deployment in Korea’.

An urgent petition <National Assembly should stop stubborn THAAD deployment> was carried out for 10 days from 16 to 26 March. It demanded △ National Assembly to request jurisdiction dispute and provisional disposition to suspend regarding forced THAAD deployment by government △ National Assembly to vote to impeach Han Min-gu, a defense minister who has impelled THAAD deployment violating the Constitution and laws.
 

Policy proposal and Voter’s campaign for ‘Refresh Korea’
A presidential election is just a process of selecting a person who will accomplish jobs of a president. It is a chance to collect desires of citizens for a new nation and a government, and reflect them in national policies and assignments. PSPD has worked hard to make a better society and it is trying to take upcoming presidential election as an opportunity to realize it. 

Therefore, PSPD has released <Can you call it a nation? PSPD’s policy suggestions for the 19th Presidential Election> on 27 March for voters and presidential candidates to hear. There are three core agenda which all candidates are hoped to adopt; reform of election law which does not reflect people’s opinions, reform of prosecutors who obey the Blue House and reign over the people, and income security to support basic livelihood. 

PSPD is doing its best to check and analyze major election promises of presidential candidates from each party. In cooperation with Hankook daily, it will inquiry and exam promises whether they look rosy only on surface and if implementation plan is clear. Inquiry letters asking stances and promises on important sectors have been sent to candidates since 23 March and answers are being received and analyzed.    
 

“Let’s change the Election Law before the presidential election”
Convention for Declaration of the People and National Action Day

PSPD held ‘Declaration of the People for the National Election Law reform’ on 15 March in front of Sejong Cultural Center front stairs and argued that the first agenda after impeachment of the president is to reform the Election Law. Participants requested to secure voters age to 18 years and older, and improve the law because it currently controls and punishes expressions and actions of voters which may influence the election for maximum 180 days prior to a vote. In order to increase representation and reflect voter’s choice and voices, it asked to adopt mixed member proportional representation to allocate seats by votes on a party, and runoff voting for presidential election. After declaration was announced, more than 100 participants marched to Bosin Bell in Jongno.

On 22 March, ‘Simultaneous National Action Day demanding reform of the National Election Law’ was held. In Seoul, one person demonstration was carried out in front of each party office; the Minju, People’s Party, Bareun Party and Liberty Korea and candidates including Moon Jae-in, Ahn Hee-jeong, Lee Jae-myung, Ahn Cheol-su, Yoo Seung-min and Nam Kyung-pil. Civil and Social organisations have taken their parts in that press conference and one-person demonstration took place urging the reform of the law at more than 30 locations. 
 

Published comprehensive report on prosecutors during four years of Park Geun-hye government
PSPD has published a report on prosecutors of Park Geun-hye government every year and ‘Deprived justice, sunken prosecutors’ a comprehensive report for four years of her administration has released in the last week of March. The title of the first year report was ‘Prosecutors, failed to reborn as prosecutors for the people’ and the second one was named ‘Political Prosecutors, falling deeper into swamp of abnormality’. The third one was called ‘Prosecutors, serve the power and reign over the people.

For the purpose of reforming prosecutors, it is necessary to record faults and status, and let them remembered. Thus, PSPD published <Report on prosecutors during five years of Kim Dae-jung government at the end of his administration. No report was made for Noh Moo-hyun since reform didn’t seem quite necessary. However, publishing reports resumed in Lee Myung-bak government.

PSPD has fully recorded how prosecutors haven’t hidden their true face as political prosecutors serving the blue house during four years of Park Geun-hye government. How they have abused and misused their powers but negligent to investigate current powers are precisely written. Expenses to print and distribute reports were covered by online contribution of citizens. Prosecutor reort is available on website of PSPD.     

Court confirms to support a request to disclose security education movie which has shocked primary school students
On 9 March, the Supreme Court upheld PSPD’s demand to withdraw a decision of the Defense Ministry to reject to disclose patriot education movie. The ground of the lawsuit happened in 2014 when the Defense Ministry executed security education for primary school students under the name of ‘patriot education’. The movie made for this had to stop playing because students fell in shock while watching it. 

According to authorities, the movie seemed to be made to implant unconditional patriotism and hostility to North Korea. The Ministry seemed to fear for criticism that refused to disclose the movie. Therefore, PSPD has submitted a formal request for information disclosure in order to check contents and the truth of the security education. The Ministry has refused it so that PSPD has filed a lawsuit in August 2015 against the Ministry’s decision not to disclose. At the first and the second trial, court said decision of not to disclose violated the law. In one year and seven months from the start of a legal action, the Supreme Court confirms to support PSPD. 

The Defense Ministry argued that opening the education movie would damage national security since the movie tried to raise hostility to North Korea. However, the Court accepted PSPD’s argument that it is vague to judge damages and interests on the national security when movie is disclosed while social review and discussion regarding security education status seemed necessary for public interest. The next action will be taken upon recipe of the movie from the Ministry. Taking this opportunity, it is required to improve ingrained and irrational decision of not to disclose information of the Defense Ministry. 
 

Tongin Newsletter, November 2015

Happy participation, Heartwarming solidarity _ This month of the PSPD

● Presented bills that must be passed or rejected during the last general session of the 19th National Assembly 

▶ All activity groups of the PSPD participated to select 37 legislative agendas and policies in 10 sectors and presented them on 19 October for the 19th National Assembly to pass or reject at the last general session. Especially, PSPD urged to pass bills concerning to help people’s lives including [Housing Lease Protection Act] and reject retrogressive revisions such as [Labor Standard Act] which would worsen labor conditions.
 

● ‘The Rulings Reading Club’ is being held successfully
▶ The Judiciary Watch Division of PSPD held the first gathering of the Rulings Reading Club. The first ruling chosen was the decision of the Eastern branch of Busan Court made October last year. It confirmed for the first time that the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company was responsible for the cause of malignant tumor of thyroid gland broke to a resident living nearby Gori nuclear power plant.

● ‘Eul (the weak)’s ballot is in progress nationwide by both on and off line.
▶ A ballot is in progress throughout the nation asking Euls of our society whether labor policy of Park Geun-hye government is a reform or retrogression. Labor policies in question are easy dismissal, extension of irregular working terms and disadvantageous change of wages and working conditions. More than thousands ballot booths are set up in streets, offices including the PSPD office. 

● Joint Press Conference of civil society on retrogressing labor policy of Park Geun-hye government and Saenuri Party
▶ The people are swiftly acknowledging that changing labor law of Park Geun-hye government and Saenuri Party is said to be a reform but in fact retrogression. NGOs, members of the Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea have a consensus to stop the change and held a joint press conference on 21 October. They expressed great concerns on retrograding labor laws unilaterally pushed by the government and Saenuri Party.

● Park Geun-hye’s policies on low birthrate and ageing society are not bearable
▶ On 19 October, the government announced the third basic plan for low birthrate and ageing society. However, the plan found the cause of low birthrate from late marriages and suggested measures based on the traditional family concept failing to acknowledge fundamental problems of social inequality and sexual discrimination. Even further, people could not help themselves from sneering and getting angry when the state voluntarily to be a matchmaker. The government is ignoring the reality that social inequality, polarization, young unemployment and hard livelihood are real hindrances which make dating and getting married difficult. No one would agree the responsibility of late marriage is on the young and the people.

● Filed a lawsuit against dominant CGV for the public interest 
▶ The Minbyun, Youth Community Union, and Campaign for Anyone with Stable Life of PSPD gathered in front of CGV, Daehakro branch on 22 October to announce the commencement of a lawsuit for the public interest in regard to playing commercial films in cinemas irritating and stressing viewers. CGV has earned more than 81 billion won in 2014 from forcibly playing advertisements without a notice or consent of viewers. PSPD filed a lawsuit together with 26 youth plaintiffs and claimed return of unfair earnings and compensation to correct and stop a market leader CGV from playing an actual movie about 10 minutes later than the time written on a ticket in order to play commercial films. Last February, PSPD has reported unfair trade acts of movie theaters and urged the Fair Trade Commission again to take an instant action to correct it.  

● Criticizing double stances of Korean government on Japan’s plan to become a military giant and allowing Japanese Army into Korean Peninsula
▶ Recently, the change of Japanese security policy towards re-militarism and military giant has become a huge concern to both Asian and global citizens who love the peace. Far-right politicians in Japan do not hide their intention to dispatch Self-Defense Forces to Korean Peninsula. Our government is supposed to respond actively but rather shows double stances deepening worries to the people. Moreover, a suspicion was raised that the government concealed a conflict at the Korea-Japan Military Minister talk on 20 October. Japanese Defense Minister said effective sovereignty of South Korean government applied to southern part of DMZ disagreeing an interpretation of South Korean Defense Minister that Japanese Self-Defense Forces is required to request or have an agreement of South Korean government when enters to North Korea. Hence, the Center for Peace and Disarmament urged the government on 22 October to take a clear stance to oppose disabling the Peace Constitution of Japan and pursuing collective self-defense. Korean government should actively respond to Japanese actions towards far-right threatening the peace of Korean peninsula and the world. 

PSPD Newsletter, February 2016

Happy Participation, Heartwarming Solidarity This Month of the PSPD
 

● 2016 General Election is around the corner! General Election Preparation, GO! GO! GO!
▶ There is no doubt that upcoming General Election and Presidential Election are very important event which would have a great influence on the present and the future Korean society. The picture of election is getting complicated because oppositions have split up while the President Park Geun-hye and the Blue House have stepped in the election. Usually, the main issue of a general election in the middle of presidential term is judgment over current government and a leading party but the President and the Blue House are asking the people to judge oppositions and incompetent National Assembly. Despite that democracy in economy is a promise of the Park Geun-hye government, it is pushing for retrograded reform of the labor law putting blames on workers for a principle cause of economic crisis. To cope with all these, civil society and social movements should expose true faces of authorities in power and inquire inability of oppositions which have failed to check. It is essential to lead and increase the participation level and the fever of voters.   

 
● The School for public interest activities of the Young
▶ The ‘PSPD the Young’ is an affiliate organization of the PSPD and it runs an awesome and dynamic education and participation program called ‘The School for public interest activities of the young’. Even though living in a harsh period especially for the young people, enthusiastic twenty one have enrolled to study PSPD, and civil and social activities. The program includes University Education with a civil think tank Korea University Education Research Institute, Free of Nuclear with Kim Ik-joong, Labor Movement with Ha Jong-kang and Green politics with Ha Seung-su a president of Green Party Korea.   

● Solid and conscientious prosecutors are hard to survive in the Korean Prosecutors Office
▶ The Judicial Watch of PSPD Keeps working for a prosecutor Yim Eun-jeong who was punished for demanding innocent for Yoon Kil-joong at the retrial who was said to be guilty for violating the National Security Act in 2012. Oddly, the Prosecutors Office categorized Yim from Prosecutor Competence Assessment to subject to Depth Assessment but judges unanimously gave her pass. In regard to this incident, PSPD presented a comment on 13 January urging the Ministry of Justice to improve Competence Assessment System in order to stop misusing it to dismiss good conscientious prosecutors. 

● The Court said to withdraw the decision not to open security education movie of the Ministry of Defense
▶ The PSPD has won the case of request for information disclosure on 21 January. The Seoul Administration Court said the Ministry of Defense to withdraw the decision not to open security education movie which became an issue because of violent contents such as forced termination. It was obvious decision since the Ministry did not comply with the law. PSPD welcomed it and urged the Ministry to swiftly disclose the movie and improve typical close-door attitude. To take this opportunity, social discussions regarding security education of the Ministry and the Armed forces have to take place, and contents and manners of security education need to be changed in depth.

● Responding to a haste agreement on ‘comfort woman’ of Japanese Army continues
▶ The Peace and Disarmament Center requested to disclose the information concerning the agreement on comfort woman between the Korean and Japanese foreign ministries. The questions were made to Yoon Byung-se, a foreign minister requesting to open the process and contents of the agreement. As anger of the people is growing, the government needs to show detailed discussions, process, agenda between two nations and following government’s stance and documents transparently so that the conflict can be settled and resolutions understandable for sex slave victims are found. PSPD is actively participating in <Holding hands with sex slave victims of Japanese Army> and <National Action to invalidate the agreement on comfort woman and for a righteous settlement>    

● Handed in 1mm size letter of protest concerning the court’s decision that Home Plus is not guilty for illegally selling customer information
▶ The Home Plus has sold customer’s personal information to insurance companies without consent and accordingly has been prosecuted for violating the private information protection Act. However, the Court said on 8 January that not only the Home Plus Co. Ltd but also executives were all innocent. Therefore, the Campaign for Anyone with Stable Life presented a joint statement together with the Consumer Protection Center of Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice and the Jinbo Network denouncing the court for ignoring damages on customers and giving an indulgence to the Home Plus. In addition, 1mm size letter of protest was handed in to the court in charge on 13 January to make an appeal against the ground of court’s decision. The Court insisted that customers have agreed on information provision written in 1mm size on a gift event application used by the Home Plus to collect and sell customer information. The letter of protest made in 1mm size was covered in various presses and PSPD received big supports from the people. PSPD is looking forward to having a right judgment at the appeal.
 
● Asking the Blue House if promises for economic democracy have been kept?
▶ From the end of last year till today, the Blue House, the Korea Fair Trade Commission, the Ministry of Planning and Finance, Kim Moo-sung, a president of Saenuri Party have tried to convince the people that the Park Guen-hye government has kept most of its promises to achieve economic democracy. However, PSPD analysis shows that 10 out of 18 economic democracy policies from the presidential election promises have not been carried out at all. Six have been partly implemented and only two have been completed as promised. Especially the PSPD pointed out that core policies are among 10 unimplemented including revised business bills for economic democracy and Chabeol reform for the purpose of stopping and preventing power abuses and evil practices of large conglomerates. It also strongly criticized that telling lies to have kept promises was truly inappropriate behavior. The Economic and Finance Center presented a press release, wrote columns and visited the Blue House on 21 January to appeal. PSPD will keep trying to resolve economic democracy related matters, Chabeol reform and Gap-Eul problem (Power abuse).
 

● Exposed and denounced government-initiated petition of Park Geun-hye and Chabeol to enact retrograded labor reform bill
▶ The Labor and Society committee presented an urgent press release on 20 January “Economic and finance circles have mobilized employees for getting signatures on the petition to demand biased legislation favorable for Chabeol and large conglomerates”. The Korean Finance and Service Workers Union and Park Won-seok, a lawmaker of the Justice Party obtained and exposed an official document which economic organizations and six financial associations asked member companies and organizations to collect signatures of employees, visitors and financial planners for “The petition to collect ten thousands signatures to enact ‘Saving economy (Saving livelihood) bills”. The document has confirmed that the petition in progress is a typical government-initiated action and public opinion manipulation led by the Blue House, economic circles and employer organizations. Without having a national discussion and social consensus, Park Geun-hye has bluntly forced Jeong Eui-hwa, a National Assembly Speaker to execute discharging power and even carried out authority controlled petition.

PSPD Newsletter, March 2016

Happy Participation, Heartwarming Solidarity This Month of the PSPD

The March has come. It is only a month away from the 20th General Election which would have a great impact on the future of our society. PSPD secretariat office is getting busier day by day. With thanks to the support of PSPD members and citizens wishing for a better society, Let me brief what PSPD has done last February.

Start of ‘Making the General Election for judgment and conversion’

PSPD has defined the 20^th General Election which will take place on 13 April as the election for judgment and conversion. It should become an opportunity to judge wrongful politics and performance of the state administration, and convert for a better society.

In order to realize it, PSPD has prepared from January to provide necessary information to voters and suggest policies to be adopted for election promises. The first outcome ‘Assessment on public commitment’ was released through investigative journal <Newstapa> in late February and examined how many promises of the 19^th General Election have implemented. In early March, policies essential for conversion will be presented.  

No Counter-Terrorism Act that would only increase the power of the National Intelligence Service

The Government has pressurized the National Assembly to shiftily pass Counter-Terrorism Act insisting the North Korea is preparing for terrors since it executed the 4^th nuclear test and fired rocket missile. Nevertheless, a Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-an did not even know that he was the chairperson of the National Terror Management Council until a lawmaker Kim Gwang-jin asked him on 18 February at the Q & A with the government session. If the government truly intends to prevent terrors, Hwang, a chairperson of the council can look into measures. However, he does not know his position and role and furthermore, there has been no direction from the president Park concerning what to do to prevent. Without following basics, the government keeps pushing for enactment of Counter-Terrorism Act. The only reason for this oppression can be think of is enhancing authority of the National Intelligence Service under the excuse of terror prevention. For the purpose of stopping enactment, PSPD has campaigned urgent online petition from 22 February. It held a press conference on 23 in front of the National Assembly and carried out one-person

THAAD, What is the problem?

There is another issue that the government is pushing forward giving an excuse of nuclear test of North Korea. Together with the American government, it is planning to install THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) in Korea. Two governments insist that THAAD is a preparation for nuclear and missile of North Korea but it is widely known to be ineffective to defend ballistic missiles of the North. Infringements of the right to live and health of residents and damages on the environment are serious problems incurred by installing THAAD. The Defense Ministry of the US also admits these consequences and damages have been already found in neighborhood of US radar base in Japan. Unfortunately, these kinds of information are rarely revealed because criticism has disappeared in our press. PSPD has made card news to easily explain and inform citizens on risks and problems associated with THAAD installation. I would like you to read <THAAD, troublemaker> made on 19 February and spread it around to other people.

Won the National Flag Contempt case, a citizen was prosecuted for

Do you remember a citizen who burnt a paper national flag to appeal against the stance of the government over the first memorial of Sewol Ferry disaster held in April last year? Prosecutors charged him for National Flag Contempt applying Article 105 of the Criminal Law ‘Damaging National Flag in order to contempt the country is subject to punishment’. PSPD has supported him with public proceeding and the Seoul Central Court said on 17 February that he was innocent for National Flag Contempt. It decided that he tried to appeal to the government but didn’t seem to have an intention to contempt a national flag.

‘Nuri program, whose responsibility is it?

At the presidential election in 2012, the President Park Geun-hye said daycare of children aged between 0-5 should be completely taken care by the government and promised to increase budget for Nuri program subsidizing daycare of children aged between 3 and 5. However, the central government has passed the responsibility to metropolitan and provincial governments when allocating the budget. It eventually changed the enforcement ordinance of the Local Finance Act last October to evade its responsibility by including Nuri program budget in the mandatory expense of provincial government office of education. Regarding the change, education superintendents have expressed the stance that other necessary expenses would be short if Nuri program is covered by local budget, and boycotted the central government’s guideline. Meanwhile, victims are parents of children. Therefore, PSPD held a urgent forum on 2 February <Who is responsible for daycare of children?> and reviewed If any legal issue was involved in tossing the finance to local education offices, and roles and responsibilities of the central and local education offices in terms of finances of welfare and education. The conclusion defined that all responsibilities are on the state. Materials and information of the forum are available on PSPD website.

Young people gathered for ‘the honor and the human right to ‘comfort women’’

Together with 20 teenagers, a voluntary program “The Honor and the Human Right to ‘comfort women’” was held on 27 January. While the criticism over a haste agreement on sex slave issue which was made between Korean and Japanese government end of last year does not seem to subsides, the program provided the time to directly see, listen and share related problems at the sites and take an action. Teenagers watched an animation <A story of a young girl> produced with the voice of a victim Jeong Se-woon and shared their views. ‘Japanese Army sex slave’ matter is the world’s oldest peace protest. They made pickets to use at regular ‘Wednesday protest’ and also participated in. Afterwards, they moved to Insa-dong and carried out collecting one hundred million signatures of the world for the settlement of sex slave problems. They were shy and felt uncomfortable since it was their first signature collecting activity but their serious attitude and efforts looked beautiful.